Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Breat Feeding Vs Bottle

cloesb

Recommended Posts

cloesb Newbie
cloesb
Posted

Hi Everyone -

I was hoping some of you can help me. I'm pregnant w/ my second & I am the one with celiac. Luckily my daughter is fine (she's 6). I had no idea that I had celiac when she was born and hated breast feeding - so I pumped it out for 10 weeks then quit.

I really don't want to breast feed with the 2nd but the celiac doctor said it may help prevent the disease and to introduce crumbs at 4 months.

I guess my question is - for those of you with children with celiac. Did you breast feed, bottle feed? Do you think it made a difference?

I obviously want to do whats best for the baby but I can't explain the horror that I went through trying the first time. I really just want to enjoy it this time around.

Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


dandelionmom Enthusiast
dandelionmom
Posted

I'm not sure if breastfeeding my daughter helped or not (not sure how to figure that one out!). But I do know that the point when she started getting worse was after we weaned (weaned at 15 months and 18 months was the first pediatrician appointment that I voiced concerns about her health).

So far, the articles I've read have convinced me to breastfeed my third daughter until her second birthday (if possible).

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

huge caveat: I have no kids, so this is all heresay. :)

I hear that each kid/pregnancy is different, so I'd think that you could try (trying not to place too heavy of an expectation on yourself) to breastfeed, and switch - as you did last time - if need be. Maybe it'll be different, maybe it won't, but you won't know until you try?

Generic Apprentice
Generic
Posted

I was breastfed and started showing symptoms of celiac shortly after weaning (age 2). My mom also waited until I was 1y/o until any wheat was introduced. Both of my kids were breastfed so far neither are celiac. I think my son shows some signs, but my ex won't consider it.

Under no circumstances would I give my child "crumbs" at 4 months, not only because of celiac but because wheat itself is such a high allergen. I would wait until at least 6-9 months of age, if you are going to try giving it to them. Just my opinion.

dbmamaz Explorer
dbmamaz
Posted

I breastfed all three kids and didnt introduce most allergen foods until 1 yr and did them very carefully. I was bottle fed and developed severe 'allergies' to milk and wheat - since they were never tested then, i'm trying now to see if it was really celiac. My kids stopped gaining weight once i put them on wheat, and i'm starting to wonder if it was NOT a coincidence.

I was a member of 2 different La Leche Leagues, and they offer great suport if you are having trouble with breastfeeding. Many hospitals also have lactation specailists now. We dont just 'naturally' know how to breastfeed, and having some suport in figuring it out can make a lot of difference.

Note, i also am one of those crazies who took the baby to bed with me, so I could just roll over and nurse without having to get up and go to another room and pick up the baby and lay the baby back down . . you get a lot more sleep with the baby in bed . . .they move out eventually!

But the most imortant things are eating plenty, drinking plenty, resting plenty, and finding a good position and latch for you and your baby. Oh, and I slept on a towel for a long time too!!

You have to do what is best for you AND your baby - both of you. I would suggest trying to breastfeed, and trying to get all the help you can, and then quit if it still doesnt work for you.

And good luck with your pregnancy and your new addition!

gfmolly Contributor
gfmolly
Posted
Hi Everyone -

I was hoping some of you can help me. I'm pregnant w/ my second & I am the one with celiac. Luckily my daughter is fine (she's 6). I had no idea that I had celiac when she was born and hated breast feeding - so I pumped it out for 10 weeks then quit.

I really don't want to breast feed with the 2nd but the celiac doctor said it may help prevent the disease and to introduce crumbs at 4 months.

I guess my question is - for those of you with children with celiac. Did you breast feed, bottle feed? Do you think it made a difference?

I obviously want to do whats best for the baby but I can't explain the horror that I went through trying the first time. I really just want to enjoy it this time around.

Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks!

I developed celiac after I had breastfed both of my children, so I am not sure if I can offer any advice on that matter. However, I had a horrible time breastfeeding my first child because I just couldn't produce enough milk. With my second child breastfeeding was a breeze and I was able to keep at it until he was a year old. It was certainly more challenging with the second child because the first one was running around and wanted my attention when it was feeding time, but it was such a special time and I really liked the closeness of the bond created.

So, I guess my two-cents includes a reminder of how very different each child will be. Good luck and congratulations!

Terri

aprilh Apprentice
aprilh
Posted

The problem is there is you won't know if the baby will tolerate the formula's out there. They are all made from soy, or milk. My son didn't even tolerate the very expensive hypoallergenic kinds because he didn't tolerate dairy or soy in any form. Plus one of the ingredients was corn syrup and he doesn't tolerate corn. So when I did decide to wean him I went to the ND and explained my issues, and she gave me a recipe for a homemade goat formula. He did much better on this.

KNowing what I know now and didn't know then......if it were me I would breastfeed for as long as possible avoiding dairy, corn, soy, and gluten while doing so. And I would not introduce gluten until at least 2 years of age. I might introduce other grains such as rice earlier, but not gluten grains. I would use cloth diapers to avoid the lead and chlorine issue found in disposables.

If you have trouble producing there are herbs you can take to help with that. The name has slipped my mind at the moment! I am sure its on the La Leche League website somewhere :)

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


JustMe75 Enthusiast
JustMe75
Posted

I would give breastfeeding a good try for sure. I breastfed all 3 of mine and each one was different. By my 3rd I thought I was a pro but she was difficult and threw me for a loop. Had she been my first I wouldn't have continued through the tough part and would not have tried again with the other two. She had to be taught how to latch on properly and once she got it things were better. The other thing I wanted to say was if you had a milk supply problem, that would probably be better for you this time because you are probably healthier since being diagnosed.

As far as preventing the food allergies, I would think you would at least give them a better chance, and at least you can say you did everything you could. I read something I think it was in The Hidden Epidemic by Dr Peter Green that said that they did a study that found the rate of celiac disease went up dramaticaly when breastfeeding became less popular. He seems to think there is good evidence it helps to lessen that severity of the disease if not help prevent it.

I think if I were to have another child now that I know about this disease I would not only breastfeed but keep them gluten free (maybe even dairy free or lite) until age 3 because of the possiblity of autism being related to gluten intollerance and most "damage" to autistic kids is seen before that age. Speech is developed, personality is developed, and I would think their tollerance to certain allergins would be stronger as well.

Sorry to have gone on like I did. I don't feel real strong about many things but I do about breastfeeding. I hope if you do give it a shot that it is easier for you this time. Consider a Le Leche League meeting they are great support and I think most hospitals have one they can refer you to.

cloesb Newbie
cloesb
Posted
  • Author

Thank you for this - actually dr green is my doctor & I had a long conversation with him about this. He's the one that told me to breast feed and introduce crumbs at 4 months. I ended up reading a long research article that stated there is a small window between 4-6 months where the gut is fully formed and ready to accept new foods - but if you miss the window then you are back where you started....I love Dr. Green. SO I respect his decision about wheat crumbs at 4 months. Its just the breastfeeding that I'm worried about.

I do worry about autism as well & was going to ask him about it as it got closer...

Thank you though - I think I've decided to at least put in the effort & see what happens. I'll contact La Leche when its time for help b/c the hospital I delivered at was top notch except for the breast feeding help. They were aweful....La Leche here I come :)

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      127,509
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Mr-Collateral531
    Newest Member
    Mr-Collateral531
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121k
    • Total Posts
      70.2k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Mr-Collateral531
      Can gallbladder issues cause symptoms of celiac disease?

      By Mr-Collateral531 · Posted

      I have dealt with gallbladder issues on-and-off for about ten years now. I was diagnosed with biliary dyskinesia in 2016 but chose to keep my gallbladder. Then in July 2022, I was diagnosed with celiac disease. Your surgeon is partially right in that your gallbladder can definitely cause some of those issues. However, the flip side to the coin is celiac can cause issues with your gallbladder. It’s a lesser studied area of disease manifestation, but limited research has shown a correlation between celiac, gallbladder dismotility, and how a gluten-free diet can help increase the gallbladder ejection fraction. Which literally happened in my case. In 2016 my HIDA scan measured my gallbladder ejection fraction as 29%. Then in 2023 after going strict gluten free, my HIDA scan measured it as 100%. It’s not perfect. I get right upper quadrant pain from time to time still. But at least I got that piece of evidence for myself.  I haven’t found any empirical studies on it but I have a theory. The gallbladder stores your bile for digestion. When the food enters your small intestine, the cells of your duodenum secrete cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK is what tells your gallbladder to empty. It’s literally Greek for “bile sac move.” Since the duodenum is a prime location for epithelial cell damage in celiac, it seems very possible that this can alter production of digestive hormones like CCK. As the small intestine begins to heal it produces more CCK and therefore the gallbladder can once again function. If you care to share, why did you need to have yours removed? In regards to the low iron and low vitamin D despite supplementation, that is also common in celiac. I fought vitamin D deficiency for almost a year despite taking 5000 IUs a day. I don’t have anemia, but I know I can use more iron based on my last round of blood work. Best I can say is you need to right cofactors as well. My vitamin D level virtually stayed the same for three different blood tests all 12 weeks apart. One was even after taking the prescription vitamin D of 50,000 IUs once a week. Once again, something not all doctors seem to know, but a nutrient deficiency isn’t necessarily treated by just taking more of that nutrient. Vitamin D metabolism requires many cofactors and processes in the small intestine, liver, and kidneys. And iron metabolism requires many cofactors as well including vitamin D. The biggest thing is to find a supplement regiment that works for you. Do you take specific vitamins or do you take a multivitamin? How much iron is in the supplement you take? What type of iron is it? Do you take magnesium? Another big game changer for me was adding 450mg/day of magnesium supplements for about two months and then dropping to 200mg/day. I would take 250mg of magnesium aspartate at lunch time and then 200mg of magnesium glycinate around 7:00pm. Magnesium is a huge cofactor for both vit D and iron metabolism. And that’s just one. Zinc, copper, vitamin K, boron, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin C are all contributing cofactors to vitamin D and iron metabolism. But too much supplementing is also dangerous. I’ve also been through iron overload and zinc toxicity in my post-celiac journey. Once again, doctors just saying to do one thing without considering anything else. I hope this helps and if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask.          
    • trents
      Certified gluten free oats

      By trents · Posted

      Your doctor may or may not be well-informed about the issue you raise so I would not agree that he/she would necessarily be the best person to rely on for a good answer. The question actually raises two issues.  The first issue has to do with cross contamination and individual sensitivity as dublin55 alluded to. Oats and wheat are both cereal grains that are typically grown in the same areas, transported in the same trucks, stored in the same silos and processed on the same equipment. So, there is usually significant CC (Cross Contamination). With gluten free oats, there is some effort to separate these processes that would otherwise cause significant CC and "gluten free" oats should meet the FDA requirement of not exceeding 20 ppm of gluten. But this 22 ppm standard is not strict enough for more sensitive celiacs. "Certified gluten free" oats (and other food products are held to a stricter standard, that being not exceeding 10 ppm. But even that is too much gluten for some super sensitive celiacs and will cause a reaction. The second issue with oats has nothing to do with gluten per se but with the protein found in oats called "avenin". Avenin has a structure similar enough to gluten to cause a reaction in some celiacs. This is called "cross reaction" not to be confused with "cross contamination" discussed in the previous paragraph. So, for whatever reason, whether cross contamination or cross reaction, it is estimated that about 10% of celiacs react to oats.
    • dublin555
      Getting rid of the belly bloat

      By dublin555 · Posted

      Karen, that sounds really tough. You must find both RA management and your new gut problems extremely irritating to handle at once. Together with your pain relief you still experience ongoing bloating complications that drag on without a resolution. Of course visiting a doctor to obtain a proper celiac diagnostic evaluation becomes necessary when no formal diagnosis has been received. Your journey toward recovery has been lengthy yet it brings comfort to notice your progress during this time. This support group offers you valuable help because there are people experiencing the same concerns with you. Working through your issues will be easier.
    • dublin555
      Certified gluten free oats

      By dublin555 · Posted

      Yeah, it’s tricky. I’ve seen a lot of mixed opinions too. Some folks can tolerate certified gluten-free oats without a problem, but others with celiac still react. Honestly, it really depends on your sensitivity. Your doctor would be the best person to ask about your specific situation.
    • Matt13
      Certified gluten free oats

      By Matt13 · Posted

      Hi guys! Can we eat them an can they cause villious atrophy? I saw multiple articles about it an they have very different opinions… so what did your doctor told you? Thanks!
×
×
  • Create New...